1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image input/output apparatus, an image input/output method and an image processing system which input and output various image data through a storage medium.
2. Related Background Art
In connection with digitization of a copying machine in recent years, a multifunctional machine having plural functions has been put to practical use. In this machine, facsimile transmission and reception are performed by using a scanner and a printer of the copying machine, and PDL (page description language) data from a computer or the like is expanded (or decompressed) and printed out. Such the multifunctional machine is structured to be able to operate not only for a single function such as a copy function, a facsimile function, a PDL printing function or the like, but also for plural functions. For example, the multifunctional machine can operate when a PDL expanded image is facsimile transmitted. Further, it is structured that, if the multifunctional machine is connected to various apparatuses such as the computer and the like through a LAN (local area network), also such the computer and the like can use the functions of the multifunctional machine.
Further, in such the multifunctional machine, by sharing a control program of a printer part with the copy function, the PDL printing function, a facsimile printing function and the like, and by sharing a control program of a reader part with the copy function, a facsimile reading function, a scanning function and the like, a capacity of the control programs for realizing these functions can be reduced, whereby it is possible to economically and simply realize a desired function.
Further, such the multifunctional machine includes an image storage unit such as a large-capacity hard disk, a semiconductor memory or the like for storing image data. Thus, by inputting a read image transferred from a scanner, the PDL expanded image, a facsimile-received document and the like into the image storage unit, and by repeatedly outputting or facsimile-transmitting the stored images and documents to a printer, it is possible to perform effective image processing.
In the multifunctional machine which includes such the image storage unit, an image data input operation to store the read image from the scanner, the PDL expanded image, the facsimile-received document or the like into this image storage unit and an image data output operation to repeatedly output or facsimile-transmit the stored image and/or document to the printer can be performed at different time. Namely, it is possible to store the image data into the image storage unit and thereafter read and output the stored data at arbitrary time.
However, after the input image data is stored into the image storage unit, if the body structure of the multifunctional machine is changed because option equipment is installed in or released from the multifunctional machine before the image data is output, it is impossible to take adjustment between the body structure for the image processing at the image data input time and the latest body structure, whereby an error state that desired image processing can not be performed occurs. As a result, it is possible to cause the problem that the image output stops at that time and thus obstacle comes to following image output operations.
Further, at the time when the image data is input, only the image processing function which is practicable by the multifunctional machine at that time can be set. In other words, even if option equipment which has a function which is practicable after the image data is input is added, the image processing using such the function can not be set at the image data input time. Therefore, for example, even if a user foresees the change of the body structure of the multifunctional machine beforehand and thus wishes to submit a job which is supposed to be practicable after the body structure of the machine is changed, he can not submit (or input) such the job.